Bacteria are part of a very large group of single-celled organisms.

There is one group of bacteria that have chlorophyll and use the process of photosynthesis to produce their own food. Bacteria that are parasites live inside man, animals, and some plants causing diseases. Symptoms for disease caused by the toxins that bacteria produce inside the cells. Some bacteria are aerobic, meaning that they require oxygen in order to survive. Other bacteria are anaerobes, meaning that they do not require oxygen to survive. Bacteria is moved by air and water currents, and on any surface such as clothing, hands, or any object. They move themselves by using thin hair-like structures called flagella or by wriggling if they do not have a flagella..

Bacilli Bacteria

Cocci Bacteria

Spirilla Bacteria with hair-like flagella

Rod-Shaped Bacteria

This bacteria is a magnetotactic bacteria and produces the mineral magnetite. The magnetite acts as a natural magnet.

How are bacteria identified? There are three ways to identify bacteria; gram stain, respiration, and shape. A gram stain is a method of dying bacteria so that they can be identified. The gram stain results will either be positive or negative. Gram-positive bacteria show up blueblack under a microscope, and gram-negagive bacteria show up red. Respiration is not the same as breathing, as a lot of people believe. All of your cells go through a process of respiration that breaks down substances into a simple form and releases energy in the process.

Rod-Shaped Bacteria

Filamentous iron oxidizing bacterium

Bacteria Spores

Filamentous bacterium

Curved Rod Bacteria

How do bacteria reproduce? Most bacteria reproduce asexually. That means that new cells are formed during single cell division. Some bacteria can only reproduce sexually, with a male and female bacteria.

Sexual Reproduction Male and Female

Asexual Reproduction through Division - Mitosis

What do bacteria do? Bacteria are decomposers, they break down the chemical elements inside other living or dead organisms. Some bacteria live

in the intestines of humans and animals. They decompose, or break down food particles so that they can be digested. Other bacteria live in the soil and water, they help break down dead matter there. Bacteria that live in the soil also recycle carbon, nitrogen, sulfur, and other chemical elements while decomposing matter.

Bacteria Spores Inside Lung Tissue

Bacterial Infection in Lung Tissue